Capacity Development for Reaching the Millennium Development Goals through Fostering Cross-Border Cooperation: Romania-Bulgaria

2004-2005

The public launch of the UNDP-supported project took place in July 2004 on boardship on the Danube River. The ceremony involved the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding related to cooperation in the implementation of the project: between the official representatives of the municipalities of Giurgiu (Romania) and Russe (Bulgaria) and Svishtov (Bulgaria) and Zimnicea (Romania).
The project was the result of an initiative by Bulgarian and Romanian authorities aiming to strengthen cross-border cooperation between the two countries and particularly within the two Danube South Euro-Regions. The project was meant to support the local communities of Russe and Giurgiu and of Svishtov and Zimnicea, respectively, to formulate Joint Sustainable Development Strategies and Action Plans to meet the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000. The two Joint Sustainable Development Strategies provided the framework to facilitate the mobilization of significant resources for cross-border cooperation initiatives.

By 2006, the project funded two demonstration projects that addressed the shared development priorities of the target municipalities.

- In Svishtov/Zimnicea, the project funded the preparation of an economic and technical feasibility study for a ferryboat service aiming to attract private investors.

- In Russe/Giurgiu, the project funded a joint tourism development initiative, including a Joint Tourism Development Strategy and a common website containing information on existing tourist sites and facilities (hotels, restaurants). The objective of the initiative was to propose an integrated tourist product to the Danube leisure cruise tourists.

The process of formulation of the Strategies and the implementation of the joint demonstration projects contributed to the exchange of knowledge and experience and established a partnership between the four municipalities and the two Euro-regions.

The project’s activities supported:
- Environmental protection, especially water resources management;
- Free movement of persons and enhanced flow of services and goods through the border crossing points;
- Socio-economic regional development;
- Improvement of the transport infrastructure.

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